Advent 10/25

 DAY TEN (week two; lineage) 

Jacob/Israel went on to have 12 sons (and at least two daughters), and Judah was one of them. The Tribe of Judah descended from him. Let’s look at a prophecy about him in Genesis 49:10;

“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (NASB)

This says that his descendants will be royalty or lead somehow (the scepter, ruler's staff), and that “Whom it belongs” (a title; Shiloh) will receive this leadership. This prophecy was fulfilled in two people; once by David, and completely by Jesus. David was a great king who descended from Judah, yet the name Shiloh specifically referred to the Messiah.

Let’s look at the family tree from Judah to David.

Judah

Perez

Hezron

Ram

Amminadab

Nahshon

Salmon

Boaz 

Obed

Jesse

David

This prophecy was 640 years before David was born, and it took 10 generations for him to be born. And it was about 1600 years from this prophecy until the Messiah Himself was born, Jesus. It’s incredible that Jesus’s lineage was recorded when no human had any idea who He was. Yet God did it- He brought the Messiah through these people just as He prophesied.

Today I encourage you to pray with me to God for our parents, as a family is formed because they had us. Whether it be for their relationship with God, or their health, or simply thanking God for them, we should remember family especially now when we are looking at Jesus's family tree.

         (I apologize for posting these late on my blog, but I at least wanted to include them here if someone wanted to read them after the fact.)